Agrivoltaics: definition, challenge and implementation - A multidisciplinary and international approach - Youth Hostel Ty Al Levenez

Presentation

If you would like to learn about agrivoltaics or discover new aspects of it, join the interdisciplinary and international thematic school that will take place in St Malo from 1 to 5 June 2026. It is open to doctoral students, lecturers and researchers. Furthermore, it is not limited to an only one discipline and is open to international researchers.

So discover, agrivoltaics: beyond technology
Agrivoltaics promises to simultaneously address two critical needs: food production and energy production. While much of the field has focused on the "hard" sciences to solve technical challenges, the vital contributions of the humanities and social sciences are frequently overlooked. Agrivoltaics is not a one-size-fits all solution. Agrivoltaics is not a universal solution. Instead, agrivoltaic design must adapt to the location-specific and diverse needs of various stakeholders.
The agrivoltaics thematic school has three main objectives. First, we will revisit the concept of agrivoltaics to rediscover both intended and overlooked synergies. Second, we will emphasise the need to make non-uniform choices of agrivoltaic installations adapted to different territorial, social and cultural configurations. In this regard, the international training programme will ensure a diverse perspective beyond the French context. Finally, we highlight how interdisciplinarity—specifically the social sciences—shapes the technological choices required to meet complex challenges. Participants will apply these methods firsthand through collaborative, workshop-based scenario building.

Scientific committee

• Greg Barron-Gafford, Biogeographer, University of Arizona
• Alicja Babst-Kosteka, Ecologist, University of Arizona
• Christian Dupraz, DR, NRAE- UMR Mediterranean and Tropical Cropping Systems-Montpellier
• Andrea Gerlak, Political Geographer, University of Arizona
• Régis Ferrière, PR, mathematician and biologist, ENS Paris and University of Arizona
• Marie Herbranski, Director of Research, Political Sociologist, CIRAD, Montpellier
• Christine Lamanna, Researcher on Ecosystem Adaptation, University of Arizona
• Alexandra Langlais, DR CNRS, UMR 6262, IODE, University of Rennes, Environmental Law
• Blanche Lormeteau, CR CNRS, UMR 6262, IODE, University of Rennes, Energy Law
• Ronan Marrec, MCF, ecologist, University of Amiens

Organising committee

• Sky Dominguez, Associate Director of the France-Arizona Institute, University of Arizona
• Christine Lamanna, Researcher on Ecosystem Adaptation, University of Arizona
• Alexandra Langlais, DR CNRS, UMR 6262, IODE, University of Rennes, Environmental Law
• Blanche Lormeteau, CR CNRS, UMR 6262, IODE, University of Rennes, Energy Law
• Ronan Marrec, MCF, ecologist, University of Amiens
• Catherine Quemener, IODE Laboratory Manager

Speakers

• Greg Barron-Gafford, Biogeographer, University of Arizona
• Alicja Babst-Kosteka, Ecologist, University of Arizona ( to be confirmed)
• Alexandre Berthe, Economist, LIRIS, University of Rennes 2 (to be confirmed)
• Christian Dupraz, DR, NRAE- UMR Mediterranean and Tropical Cropping Systems-Montpellier ( to be confirmed)
• Kirsten Engel, Environmental Lawyer, University of Arizona (to be confirmed)
• Andrea Gerlak, Political Geographer, University of Arizona
• Marie Herbranski, Director of Research, Political Sociologist, CIRAD, Montpellier ( to be confirmed)
• Christine Lamanna, Researcher on Ecosystem Adaptation, University of Arizona (confirmed)
• Alexandra Langlais, DR CNRS, UMR 6262, IODE, University of Rennes,Environmental Law
• Blanche Lormeteau, CR CNRS, UMR 6262, IODE, University of Rennes, Energy Law
• Ronan Marrec, MCF, ecologist, University of Amiens
• Emmanuelle Santoire, Geographer, energy transition, CR CNRS, LATTS, Paris
• Polina Volovitch, PR, chemist, Chimie ParisTech, Paris (to be confirmed)
• Céline Verchère, Sociologist of innovation, University of Sherbrooke (Quebec, Canada) (confirmed)

Information and registration

More information and registration on SciencesConf : https://agrivolt.sciencesconf.org
We invite you to register now for the thematic school entitled "Agrivoltaics: definition, challenge and implementation - A multidisciplinary and international approach".
This school will be held in Saint-Malo from June 1 to 5, 2026. As a limited places school, your registration will only be final after you have been selected by the scientific committee.

Registration is open until 5 April 2026.

All sessions will be in english.
For information the price includes registration, meals, acommodation and visits: Doctorant: 450 €, Academic: 650 €, Private: 1500 €